Virgil van Dijk said Liverpool must accept the “risk and reward” and “chaos” in Andoni Iraola's approach before Liverpool face Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday. The Liverpool captain also said his side will not treat Arsenal any differently.
Praise for Iraola's philosophy
Van Dijk praised coach Andoni Iraola's philosophy. He told ESPN: “I think the match represents a challenge for any team. When teams know that we want to win the ball back in high areas, they try to pull you into difficult spaces and then you have to read the play accurately. For example, Henderson used to drop back to pull one of us out and leave space behind him, so you have to think quickly: do you push forward or stay in your place? It's a matter of reading the game.”
Risk and reward at Anfield
Van Dijk said the home approach requires Liverpool to commit early with full energy. He said: “Especially here at our stadium, you have to burst forward at the start with all your energy and take the gamble. If you win the ball back in advanced areas, you'll feel the crowd in the stands light up, which gives the team energy that supports it throughout the 90 minutes. The gamble now is based on man-to-man battles, and you have to think about your next step: do you play directly and compete for the second ball, or do you try to break through from the middle? This is the risk and reward equation that you have to accept.”
Players' responsibility on the pitch
Van Dijk said the players bear responsibility for carrying out the coach's plan on the pitch. He said: “You have to be able to adapt, and that's part of our job. The coach can of course set the plan, but as players we bear the responsibility of executing it and fighting to win, of course with the help of the coach and the coaching staff, yet we on the green rectangle are the ones who have the biggest influence.”
Pressing changes and balance
Van Dijk said Liverpool's current pressing approach is different from the one under Jürgen Klopp. He said: “I think it's a different era and different times. In Jürgen's era, we used to press by massing together and closing down one side of the pitch and cornering the opponent, but football has changed. The pattern is completely different now, but what hasn't changed is the amount of running and trying to win the ball back as quickly as possible.”
On balance in possession, Van Dijk said: “We also have to be more direct in our play, which again helps us win the ball back in advanced areas. The right balance has to be found, because I feel that we can pass and build under pressure, and at the same time we can play directly, and at our stadium you sometimes have to resort to that. You have to try to create this chaos, and fight for the clear second balls, and this is the concept that we are still growing in learning and applying.”
